And then there was one, or was there?

Once again for the umpteenth time in recent years at THFC, we are deeply embroiled in a manager 'selection' process. It appears in his inimitable fashion, that our esteemed Mr. Levy has once again sacked a manager, without having a replacement in place to step in and provide some continuity, just as he did when he sacked AVB, and was forced into installing Sherwood as caretaker, and subsequently getting backed into a corner, and having to give him an 18 month contract.

We were originally told by all the football pundits and the bookies, in the usual absence of any information from the club, that LVG was cut and dried as Sherwood's replacement, and he would arrive after the WC, although it now appears there was no formal agreement in place to this effect. This of course was scuppered when Man Utd sacked Moyes, and he immediately declared himself as a candidate for that job, and his appointment now looks a formality.

This meant that we would be forced to look elsewhere and the names of 'A' list manager/coaches started to be bandied about, with Frank De Boer, the early front runner, stating contact had been made by Spurs, to be followed with a denial by the club, and De Boer's card probably be marked, and him 'black balled'. Then there were suggestions involving a list of 'possibles' including Ancelotti, Benitez, Martinez, Mancini, etc. etc. all of whom are in secure appointments with other clubs, and are almost certainly all 'impossible".

Then emerged somebody who is allegedly Joe Lewis's preferred candidate, yes Joe Lewis, that much vaunted and respected football pundit and expert, this being Pochittino of Southampton. He is a man who is unspoilt by success in his previous nearly 200 games in charge of Espanyol and Southampton, and has yet to give any indication that he is able to step up and manage at a bigger club, with bigger players, who unfortunately tend to have bigger egos, the club's greater expectation of success, the fans pressure, and the local rivalry, and far greater media attention.

He may of course surprise everybody and become a resounding success, or he may as strongly suggested by his previous lack of achievement, prove to be little if any better than either AVB, or Sherwood, and unable to take us forward. In fact it maybe justifiably asked why, and at the end of the season, what have we gained? It is now reported that Southampton intend to offer him a trebling of his wages, and an improved transfer budget, in a new improved contract, in order to keep him, so it is just possible that he may accept that and stay. If this happens does that mean that there are no eggs left in the basket, and we will have to start again, with whom.

To be candid it appears that nobody is likely to get killed in the rush for this job, there is no fighting over it. It may well be that others are seeing what Brendan Rogers saw, that the manager merry-go-round at Spurs, and the interference by people, with at best very limited football knowledge, offers no security of tenure, or time to succeed. I fear that at the end of this process we will still not have a leader in place, able to get the best out of what is a talented squad of players, and we will not be seeing a tangible improvement in results, or achievement.

Written by Frank

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